Maple Apple Quinoa Granola

I just love when I find new ways to use quinoa. Since I have experiment so much with this fabulous food, I have had my fair share of failures. So when something that I’ve been working on for a while comes out perfectly, that’s when I really get jazzed about this ingredient. And this quinoa granola totally hit the spot!

I feel empowered, like a person with purpose. You must know what I’m talking about. That feeling when you’ve created a super healthy meal and it tastes amazing. A meal that makes you jump up and down with excitement? A meal that you immediately want to share with the world? A meal that you know even your junk food loving friends would swoon over.

This is that kind of meal. Because it’s oat-free granola, made with quinoa. It’s quinoa granola!

Granola isn’t a meal per se, but I’m more than happy to turn it into one if I have the chance. Granola is one of my favorite things on earth. It’s sweet, crunchy and healthy. It pairs perfectly with yogurt and fruit. Good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, even dinner.

Granola is also a fabulous food to snack on or to pack up and take with you on the road. When I’m traveling, all I want is something gluten-free, delicious, healthy and portable. Granola is my best friend.

This granola is special. It’s not made with oats. It’s made with quinoa. Nutty, protein-packed quinoa.

I’ve been on a mission ever since I went gluten-free to make the perfect granola. A granola that’s fit for the Queen herself. I’ve tried my hand at “regular” granola – the kind made with oats – and even though it was delicious, it didn’t have my favorite little seed. Quinoa was the missing piece.

And then I discovered dehydrated quinoa. Light, airy but still retaining it’s shape and crunch, I realized it would be perfect for granola. And so I started experimenting.

My friends, this is it. The best granola you’ve ever tasted. And made with quinoa! What could be better?

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

⅓ cup coconut oil, melted

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

½ cup dried apples, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, except for the apples.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat liquid ingredients together. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined and all the dry ingredients are coated.

Spoon the contents of the mixing bowl onto a baking sheet. Bake the granola in the center of a warmed oven for 20 - 30 minutes until the granola has browned. Make sure to stir it around every 10 minutes, to avoid burning it.

When the granola has finished baking, let it cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and add the chopped apples.

Granola is one of the healthiest and delicious snacks. I almost never go a day without eating it. If you’re looking to invest in a dehydrator, there are a ton of options – with a wide range of prices. Let me know if you have any questions in your search!

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Hi there! I'm Alyssa!

Welcome to Simply Quinoa, a blog dedicated to simple, healthy food, always with a quinoa twist. I'm a former marketer turned full-time blogger living in NYC, with a serious love of anything peanut butter or chocolate. It's nice to meet you!